Recording or playback equipment for optical or magneto-optical recording media, such as for example laser disc, compact disc, minidisc or DVD players, are generally known. In such recording or playback equipment, a scanning device provided in the form of a movable writing or reading system is used for reading the information or data from the recording medium or recording it on the recording medium. The writing or reading system is arranged on a carriage, which is movable in order to be able to follow the track of the recording medium to be read or recorded onto. For the carriage to be movable, a rack which is driven by a gearwheel is provided on the carriage. The scanning device provided in the form of a movable writing or reading system is in this case either provided as a so-called linear drive or comprises a coarse drive and a fine drive. In the case of the scanning device comprising a coarse and fine drive, the coarse drive is provided as the carriage, on which the fine drive is arranged. This construction corresponds to a so-called CD-Mechadeck, as used for example in CD players. Such a CD-Mechadeck may, however, also be designed and used as a writing or reading system for other recording media, such as for example DVD or minidisc. The writing or reading system driven by a gearwheel via a toothed rack has a mass which causes the toothing of the rack and/or gearwheel to be damaged, in particular if the equipment is subjected to strong vibration during transport. In addition, to save an additional drive for a loading or unloading device for the recording medium, it is desirable to ensure the transmission of a high level of power with the drive system comprising the gearwheel and toothed rack, so that the loading or unloading device for the recording medium can be driven directly by the carriage. An obvious strengthening of the gearwheel and rack to ensure a higher power transmission and to prevent damage during transport is ruled out as a solution to the problem, however, since it involves increased expenditure on material and requires more space.